Cincinnati Shows Fight, But No. 24 Iowa State Pulls Away Late in Big 12 Clash
AMES, Iowa - For a moment, it looked like the Cincinnati Bearcats were ready to shake things up in Ames. After clawing back to within seven midway through the third quarter, UC had momentum and a bit of swagger.
But in the end, it was No. 24 Iowa State who flexed its muscle down the stretch, pulling away for a 93-68 win on Wednesday night.
The loss drops Cincinnati to 7-13 overall and 2-6 in Big 12 play, but the night wasn’t without bright spots-especially from freshman guard Kylie Torrence. The first-year standout had a breakout performance, pouring in a career-high 20 points on an efficient 8-of-13 from the field. It marked her first 20-point game in a Bearcats uniform, and it couldn’t have come on a bigger stage.
Reagan Jackson and Caliyah DeVillasee also hit double figures, finishing with 17 and 15 points respectively. Jackson was a spark from deep, knocking down four triples, while DeVillasee added four assists to go with her scoring.
As a team, Cincinnati shot 42% from the floor-respectable, but not quite enough to keep pace with an Iowa State squad that was firing on all cylinders. The Cyclones hit 55% of their shots and connected on 11 three-pointers, led by a monster game from Jada Williams, who dropped a game-high 44 points. Simply put, she was unstoppable.
The game started with promise for Cincinnati. After falling behind early, the Bearcats rattled off six straight points to grab a quick lead.
But that edge didn’t last long. Iowa State answered with an 8-0 run of its own, then extended it into a 15-2 stretch to close the first quarter up 21-12.
The Cyclones kept the pressure on in the second, forcing a Cincinnati timeout with just under six minutes to go in the half. But the Bearcats didn’t fold.
A midrange jumper from Torrence and an and-one finish by DeVillasee helped cut the deficit to 11. UC went into the locker room trailing 41-28, still within striking distance.
The third quarter saw Cincinnati’s best basketball of the night. The Bearcats came out aggressive, stringing together a 7-0 run to pull within eight.
Jackson’s three-pointer made it 45-38, and the energy on the UC bench ramped up. For a few minutes, it felt like the game was tipping their way.
But Iowa State had another gear. Every time Cincinnati made a push, the Cyclones had an answer.
Crawford hit a pair of jumpers to keep UC within 12, but a 7-0 Iowa State run to close the third quarter stretched the lead to 68-49-and that was the turning point. From there, the Cyclones never looked back.
Despite the final score, there’s something to be said for how Cincinnati battled. On the road, against a top-25 team, they showed grit and flashes of what this group is capable of-especially with young talent like Torrence stepping into the spotlight.
The Bearcats may have split the season series with Iowa State, but they’ll take more than just that from this one. It’s a loss, yes-but also a reminder that this team is still building, still learning, and still capable of competing with the best in the Big 12.